Opinion: Obama Missions Unaccomplished

Editorial board member Matt Kaminski on the tide of war that's advancing in the Mideast.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... I ... say ... drawdown in Iraq allowed us to refocus our fight ... against al Qaeda and achieve ... major victories its leadership ... including Osama bin law ... well ... it is we're more or ... less troops from Iraq ... were beginning to bring our troops home from Afghanistan ... where we've begun the transition ... to Afghan ... security ... the leadership ... when took office roughly one hundred eighty thousand troops were deployed in ... both these wars ... by the end of this year that number will be cut in half ... welcome back to our special edition of Opinion Journal why Mary Kissel ... that was present Obama in October twenty eleven talking about ... his foreign policy achievements ... editorial board member Matt Kaminski joins me now to give us a first term report card ... and not ... just sit to lay the groundwork care what was that the goal of Presidental bombs form posse in his first term ... to continue with the previous administration's hands on where to change direction ... dramatically Maliki won the election in two thousand and eight ... on the McCain Tebow ... he knew he would bring the troops home from Iraq ... sometimes you winter he said that he would go ... after someone that bin Leyden in Afghanistan ... and tried to soothe the Afghan war because that was to import a war the war that matter ... idea grade them on this it seems like he accomplished all that was inserted a key campaign he did get them on and so it Avici is good for that ... I think it a try in Afghanistan with a surge ... in the two thousandnine ... of course he is now reversed itself on Afghanistan the surge did we go as ... they planned I think they pulled the plug too soon ... some say was in talks with John McKay's ... birthday in Afghanistan were pulling out were gone from Iraq ... and you know the Audi judge him well as the world in an essay for more details please use plainly far more dangerous to have the ... on goings us of the war in Syria ... you hear an continuing to make progress toward a nuclear bomb uses real ... threatening to do to to do something about that ... you have in Afghanistan you know the ongoing civil war ... so it's um ... it's it's a rewarding time actually ... overseas and people talking to the fiscal cliff euro time to look overseas and there's ... many things things ... going well ... let's let's just get one of those issues said the Arab Spring ... um how would you rate present Obama on how he approached ... all of these various revolutions that we sow we haven't seen this much tumult not part of the world in a generation ... what's the thinking what with the goals will become a ... cliche or a catchphrase but it's a leading from behind prison was used by ... one of the Obama administration's officials ... to describe it in their approach to the Arab world into the world generally ... I think that's really what what is the existence of America always a step behind ... events in the state behind other countries ... you know to their credit they went into Libya and they ensure that Ghadafi was forced out of our ... in spite of what happened the gauzy in September when he isn't a better place right now although still not settled and were not there ... Egypt Syria um the ... same thing we've disengaged ... from Egypt is a very tumultuous political position and was can happen there ... but in Syria tragically and says the moral and strategic abdication ... we've not done your boss or less to that non Bhatia side ... the rule was you must go ... get it done nothing to try and ... bring this ... about ... acting bets with me being ... one of the weekend ... and Syria ... I'm Heidi Reagan ... on foreign policy with with with the money thrown in you with this lately sunset as seen minus the back to Minsky thank you ...